Tips to Increase Your Traffic on HubPages

Find Out How To Get More HubPages Traffic Love!

So you want to learn how to increase your traffic on HubPages?

Of course you do! When it comes to getting traffic for your hubs, you want things to look like the picture on the left. You want as many people as possible to squeeze through the internet tubes to get to your content.

Over the course of writing online for more than six years, I've had huge up and down traffic swings. So I started wondering what other things had worked to boost my traffic in the past, and this is what I came up with.

Tips for Increasing Traffic to Your Hubs

Learn How To Get More Traffic!

Before you even start trying to incrase traffic, make sure that you've got the basics down. Write attractive, concise content. Use proper grammar. Figure out what readers want, and give it to them.

After that, feel free to follow these steps.

1.) Use Google Keyword Tools

Technically, the Google Keyword Tool (sign in required) is used to find keywords for advertising with AdSense. However, I use it for a different purpose. I think of a topic I want to write about (say, raffle prizes), and then rank the results the tool returns (starting with the lowest advertiser competion). Then, I search for low-advertiser-competition keywords that have a lot of hits (at least a couple hundred). This is called going after the "long tail." You want to know that people are searching for the things you're writing about, and the less competition there is, the higher the chance that your lenses will show up on Google.

Whether personal, with friends, or run by HubPages, a challenge is a great way to move beyond your comfort zone. Challenge yourself to write a hub every day for a week. Or twice a month. Compete to see who can publish a high-quality hub the fastest. See how many hubs you can draft in a day.

3.) Seek a Backlink for Every Link You Include

If you create a link to someone's site, it doesn't hurt to contact them and mention it. Just remember to be very polite, and don't take it badly if they don't respond. They might not be following the site anymore, they might not include links, they might be busy, who knows. I have a link return rate of about 10%, so just know it takes a lot of contacts to get one good backlink!

Image by Wolfgang Staudt on Flickr. | Source

Don't Fear the Plateau

Traffic Doesn't Always Increase in a Smooth Line

Ah, the plateau. The feared pause that mars the otherwise swift rise of your traffic stats. It can be so painful to witness that you almost want to give up altogether.

"But I'm doing everything right!" you might cry. "I'm making new lenses, participating, getting some backlinks. It was working so well yesterday, why the plateau?"

Bringing in a static amount of traffic probably isn't what you want if you're searching for traffic tips. You want more traffic!

As when you find yourself reaching a plateau in weight loss, the traffic-gain plateau doesn't mean you aren't working hard. It just means that you have to try something new.

By no means give up the stuff you were doing before that was working. If you do, your traffic might (gasp!) start going down. Just try and think of one new thing per day (or per week, or per month) to try.

If you're not blogging yet, start a blog. Or, take the cross training approach, and try something not even directly traffic related. Work on a novel, or volunteer to write content for a charity.

Soon you'll find yourself leaving your plateau far behind!

Is it Okay to Copy and Paste Text? - Even From My Own Site?

Google is not a big fan of copy-paste. Your best bet is to reword the text each time you place it online.

However, this isn't a hard and fast rule. If you're writing articles for websites that allow you to keep your rights, you can post each article on multiple sites.

SEO CopywritingTips about improving SEO, and why copy-paste is a good idea.

Use Your Images To Increase Squidoo Traffic

Flickr Traffic Bonus!

Flickr is a great source of images that you can use for free on your hubs. Just be sure to use the advanced search to find Creative Commons images that are suitable for commercial use, and to include the attribution text.

But did you know it's also a great source for backlinks, and that getting backlinks is a great way to improve your search engine rankings, and thus increase traffic to your hubs?

Every time I use an image from Flickr, I leave a comment under the image with a link to my lens. It's nice to let people know their images are appreciated, and you get a link back to your lens. Links are updated frequently, and show up when you research the stats for your lens.

Do You Have HubPages Traffic Tips to Share?

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

Judy Filarecki 3 years agofrom SW Arizona and Northern New York

I use to use the Google keyword tool all the time, but since they changed it, I haven't found it as helpful. Probably I have to take a look at it again and figure how to benefit fromit.

tmadeira lm 3 years ago

As a squidoo newbie, I appreciate these tips for increasing traffic. Thanks!

tmadeira lm 3 years ago

I just started on squidoo about a month ago. I found a lot of answers to questions I've had in this article. Thank you for sharing!

belinda342 5 years ago

A lot of good Squidoo Traffic tips here. I'll contribute one more: when you FIRST publish a lens, submit it to Submitstart. This will help it get listed with multiple search engines very quickly. And best of all it's easy...and free, too! It can help your lens get a running start.

Spiderlily321 5 years ago

Great tips. Thanks for sharing this lens!

anonymous 5 years ago

I love your advice for leaving a link to your Squidoo page from an image on Flickr, many thanks!

Teri Villars 5 years agofrom Phoenix, Arizona

I use the Google Keyword tool...but the good keywords are disappearing fast! Squid Angel blessed!

fullofshoes 5 years ago

One of the better, more clear and concise presentations of exactly the info that I need! Thank you, Emma!

anonymous 5 years ago

I haven't used flickr that much, but after hearing your tip about leaving a link to your article, I will be giving it a try. Thanks.

VarietyWriter2 5 years ago

Blessed

Marie 5 years ago

Lots of useful information here and well presented - have sprinkled a Halloween blessing your way today :)

poutine 6 years ago

A very helpful lens.

Author

emmaklarkins 6 years ago

Glad people found the info useful!

bames24 lm 6 years ago

thanks for the info

MasterPsycho 6 years agofrom Earth

this is some cool stuff for newbies...but it doesnt hurt to refresh those tips once in a while....i am still struggling to get some decent traffic...maybe i am not trying hard enough

oniArts 6 years ago

Cool lens! Great info!

GetSillyProduct 6 years ago

I'm still quite new, this has come in real handy, especially about flickr, I didn't know you could use images from flickr and get backlinks, very cool!

BeaGabrielle1 6 years ago

SquidLiked and Favorited so I can keep coming back for more! :-) thanks for sharing these tips.

moonlitta 6 years ago

Good hints, I just need to implement them:)

hotbrain 6 years agofrom Tacoma, WA

Lots of good information here including some things I hadn't thought of! Excellent lens. Angel blessed.

asiliveandbreathe 6 years ago

Thanks for good info and links. I recently joined Facebook, and I'm getting visitors from there now,

Nightowl John 6 years ago

I'm still learning. I appreciate the great tips here. Thanks.

Author

emmaklarkins 7 years ago

@the777group lm: I agree! I love a well-written site, and pick up on mistakes instantly!

the777group lm 7 years ago

My main tip is an oldie but a goodie: Write well!

puzzlerpaige 7 years ago

My traffic tip is to add your link to any corresponding videos you make for YouTube. I've made a couple of demonstration videos that get regular traffic on YouTube and added my links in the description. But remember you MUST add http:// for it to be a clickable link. Nice list with very good info.

eclecticeducati1 7 years ago

You have listed some very helpful tips! Great lens. Blessed by an Angel and lensrolled to my Newbies Guide to Squidoo and Newbies Guide to Making Money on Squidoo.

MoonMaa 7 years ago

Very nice traffic tips!

dezwards 7 years ago

Really informative lens and just what I was looking for. Lot's of work ahead putting these tips into practice! Very helpful, many thanks. 5*

Cynthia Arre 7 years agofrom Quezon City

This is another well done lens by you! I will have to add "optimize your tags for within Squidoo" as a traffic tip. I did that and my lenses ranked well within Squidoo. The higher your lensrank in Squidoo is, the better you'll rank in Google.

Rating and commenting on lenses you like is another tip, it spreads goodwill and will allow you to make new friends. (: